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Chaniotiko boureki

Name: Chaniotiko boureki
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 120 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 kg courgettes; 2 tsp salt; 600 g waxy potatoes; 400 g fresh mizithra or ricotta; 120 g graviera or vegetarian hard cheese; 15 g fresh mint; 120 ml extra virgin olive oil; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 100 ml water

Chaniotiko boureki: Chania's summer bake of courgette, potato, mint and soft cheese

Features:Vegetarian

Make ahead

Cuisine:

Greek

In Chania, western Crete, boureki is what happens to the courgette glut in July: thin slices of courgette and potato layered with crumbled soft cheese, mint and plenty of olive oil, then baked slowly until the top is golden and the inside is meltingly soft. Families bake a big tin for Sunday and eat it warm or at room temperature over the next two days with bread, olives and a tomato salad. The traditional cheese is fresh mizithra plus a little graviera; graviera is made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian hard cheese if that matters to you. Common mistake: skipping the salting of the courgettes, which leaves a pool of water in the tin. Chef's tip: slice the potatoes paper-thin, no thicker than 3 mm, so they cook through in the same time as the courgettes.

Total time: 120 min
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 6

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Ingredients

Serves6

2 ¼ lb courgettessliced into 4 mm rounds
2 tsp salt
1 ⅓ lb waxy potatoespeeled, sliced 2–3 mm thick
14 oz fresh mizithra or ricottacrumbled
4 oz graviera or vegetarian hard cheesegrated; graviera uses animal rennet
½ oz fresh mintleaves chopped
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
½ cup water

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What you'll need

Baking tray

Spices & pantry

Fresh ingredients (4)

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Method

0/7 done

Step 1: Toss 2 ¼ lb courgettes with 2 tsp salt in a colander and leave for 30 minutes. Squeeze gently in handfuls and pat dry.
30 min
Step 2: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan). Oil a 25 × 35 cm baking tin with a little of 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
Step 3: Mix 14 oz fresh mizithra or ricotta with 3 oz graviera or vegetarian hard cheese, ½ oz fresh mint and ½ tsp black pepper in a bowl.
Step 4: Lay a third of 1 ⅓ lb waxy potatoes over the base, overlapping slightly, then a third of the courgettes and a third of the cheese mixture. Drizzle with a little of 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Repeat twice more, ending with cheese.
Step 5: Sprinkle the rest of 1 ¼ oz graviera or vegetarian hard cheese over the top, pour ½ cup water down the side of the tin and drizzle with the last of 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
Step 6: Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30–35 minutes more, until the top is deep golden and a knife slides through the potatoes with no resistance.
80 min
Step 7: Rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting, so the layers settle and the juices are absorbed.
20 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 390 kcal
Protein: 15 g
Carbs: 22 g
Fat: 27 g
Fibre: 3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does chaniotiko boureki take?: About 120 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?: Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
Can I make it ahead?: Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of courgettes?: Cucumber, same weight (raw dishes only).
What can I use instead of waxy potatoes?: Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).

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